Letters: Sea walls, abortion and Hugo Chavez

Bay Head's sea wall runs along roughly three-quarters of its beachfront properties, stretching about 4,500 feet. Local officials want to extend it 300 feet south to the town's border, but neighboring Mantoloking says it will send floodwaters rushing their way in future storms.David Gard/For The Star-Ledger

Where’s the conflict?

Many of us involved in efforts to replenish and protect New Jersey’s beaches found The Star-Ledger’s article (“Why two towns stand divided over a wall,” March 10) suggesting Mantoloking and Bay Head are “divided” over solutions misleading. The state Department of Environmental Protection says revetments of the kind being built in Bay Head are a supplement to a good dune system. Mantoloking isn’t concerned about the impact of revetments on replenished dunes, as the article suggested. The replenished dunes and beach will extend more than 150 feet past the revetment.

Mantoloking is worried about protection prior to replenishment, to take two or three years, or if replenishment doesn’t occur at all. Experts we’ve consulted say revetments protect what’s behind them and provide a stronger core to the dune. Mantoloking is properly focused on replenishment as a long-term solution for protection of property and beaches, for all users, funded largely by federal aid. Bay Head hasn’t yet decided on replenishment, but saw an opportunity to have the entire town protected by privately funded revetments and properly supported it. Far from being in conflict, the Bay Head residents constructing the wall made their plans available to their Mantoloking neighbors, saving time and money, and advocated for us with the state.

I’ve found it to be a great example of neighbors banding together and using resources in concert with state and local government to rebuild our beach in a crisis. It’s a shame you left that part of the story out.

Chris Stadler, Mantoloking

Arkansas a leader

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If you are going to editorialize on the “Latest strike at abortion” (March 11), then reveal the heart of the matter regarding Arkansas’ bipartisan override of the governor’s veto. Arkansas voted to require a woman seeking an abortion after 12 weeks to get an abdominal ultrasound to determine whether the fetus has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, it follows that there is a heart, which belongs to a body, which is not the woman’s body but another body. According to Arkansas’ 1999 law, a fetus, 12 weeks in utero, is a person.

Arkansas is way ahead of the other 49 states since the technological advancement of ultrasound can show anyone, clearly and definitively, the heart of the matter. Until the pro-choice side faces the truth about ultrasound results and heartbeats, they will continue their heartless slide into an indefensible position.

Theresa Hansen, Berkeley Heights

People over business

After reading The Star-Ledger article, “MetLife to shutter Somerset office, move jobs to North Carolina” (March 8), I couldn’t help but wonder how such a large, successful corporation, spending $400 million over 20 years to promote its brand on the new Meadowlands stadium, can justify closing its Somerset office and putting as many as 1,500 out of work. While the $100 million-plus in tax breaks and incentives it will get to move to North Carolina makes business sense, it doesn’t make “people” sense.

MetLife likes to tout itself as a caring, people-centered company that provides its customers “guarantees for the ‘if’ in ‘life.’ ” Apparently, it forgot about its employees. The families of the 1,500-plus New Jerseyans who will lose their jobs if they choose not to move have no guarantees.

Crista Pontilena, Hackensack

Keep reaching out

Since President Obama took the oath of office again in January, we keep hearing from Democrats that elections have consequences. Yes, they do. The winners actually have to lead.

After running around the country scaring the public to death about the effects of sequestration, and blaming Republicans for it, the president has finally decided after four years that it might help to actually reach out to the Republican Party and get to know them a bit. Taking 10 GOP senators out to dinner recently is a good start. I encourage the president to keep it up. That’s what leaders do.

I can’t help but think that if Gov. Christie were president, he would have begun that process a long time ago.

Jim Kaag, Morris Plains

Transparency for all

As a someone who held various positions in local government, I could not agree more on transparency in government (“Reasonable transparency," editorial, March 9). So my question is simple: Will the Legislature also have to follow Sen. Loretta Weinberg’s new bill?

Victor M. Canning, Montville

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Chavez mourned

The nation of Venezuela and the world lost a great leader and statesman this week with the passing of President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez’s policies helped the poor in Venezuela. He provided health care, libraries, housing and, most important, he provided them with a chance to vote for something that served their self-interest. That is why he was re-elected twice and may have been re-elected for a fourth term.

Chavez also provided assistance to the poor in the United States. His policies, though not perfect, should serve as a model for 21st-century economies — economies whose natural resources and labor of the people benefit the people and not the 1 percent.

Ronald Cozzi, Rahway

Not leaving

A recent Forbes article listed Camden as one of the most miserable cities in the country. Unlike other reports, Camden wasn’t listed among the top five. This is quite surprising considering that for many years, the city has been listed as one of the most dangerous.
I’ll never understand why I myself am so drawn to live in a city that is constantly picked on for everything that is wrong in America.

My parents, now senior citizens, continue to work and live in the city. I am inspired by them and their philosophies about the city where I was born.

In spite of everything said about Camden, I cannot confess that I will ever leave.